IS THIS SIMI VALLEY'S YEAR? : VETERAN PIONEERS FAVORED TO WIN MARMONTE TITLE.

Byline: Nevin Barich Daily News Staff Writer

If you ask Robert Wickwire, it could be a conspiracy.

When he learned that most of the girls' tennis teams in the Marmonte League favored his team to win the league title, the Simi Valley High coach reacted in a most peculiar way.

``They (the other coaches) are just doing that to hex me and my team,'' Wickwire said, jokingly. ``Every year, when we say a team is going to come in first, they come in third.''

Maybe so, but 1998 just may be the year the hex is broken as the Pioneers, who won a share of the league title in 1997, (along with Camarillo, which has since moved to the newly created Pacific View League) return seven players, including six seniors, from last year's squad.

The top returner for the Pioneers should be Mindy Gondrez. She was the league's MVP last year and figures to occupy Simi Valley's top singles position.

``She's tenacious,'' Wickwire said of Gondrez. ``She gets to every single ball.''

Also, look for seniors Katie Franklin and Courtney Lind, who missed much of last season because of volleyball, to add some singles punch.

But doubles might very well be the backbone of Simi Valley. Junior Rebecca Hunau and senior Margo O'Donnell, both of whom made it to sectionals last year, head up this elite field. Also look for seniors Andrea Espindoza, who along with partner O'Donnell went 27-1 in doubles play last year, and Stella Chu, a second team All-Marmonte pick last year, to make some waves.

But if anyone could stop the Pioneers' chances for a second straight league title, it's Agoura. The Chargers, which finished tied for second (four games back along with Thousand Oaks) in the Marmonte League last year, have five players returning from last year's squad including top singles player Brooke Borisoff who lost only one match in 1997, a year which she also won the Marmonte League Individual Singles Tournament.

But Agoura coach Stuart Limbert said that doubles will be the key to the Chargers' success in 1998. The team has its top doubles duo, junior Lauren Hahn and Casey Ruby, returning.

``We can be good if we get our doubles going,'' Limbert said. ``We'll go as far as our doubles takes us.''

Unfortunately for Agoura, the team has taken some losses before the season has even begun. Sharone and Orly Hadari, both of whom made up Agoura's No. 3 doubles team last year, and Darcy Utter, Agoura's No. 2 doubles and No. 3 singles player respectively, have announced that they will not return to the team this year. Had they stayed, the Chargers would have had its entire 1997 squad coming back.

Agoura and Simi Valley play each other Sept. 24 and Oct. 8 in games that should decide the league race. Thousand Oaks coach Dave Assorson doesn't really have any visions of his team being a serious contender for the league title this year, having graduated his top three singles players. But with senior Kelley Bowman leading the singles run and the senior duo of Cindy Wu and Tammi Smith leading the doubles, Assorman would be disappointed if his team finished worse than third in 1998.

``Well, I think it's the kind of year where a lot of our players are going to have to step up,'' Assorson said. ``It's time to see what we can do.''

Also look for freshman Anita Vasan to help the Lancers stay a dark horse for the league title. According to Assorson, Vasan is a ``young but good player. I'd be surprised if she didn't play varsity this year.''

Westlake may also be another dark horse for the league title. The Warriors are coming off its worst season in its 20-year existence, going just 6-8 in league play and failing to make the playoffs for the first time ever. However, Westlake has eight players returning and, perhaps most importantly, the brilliant coaching of Connie Flanderka, now in her 21st year at the helm of Westlake girls' tennis.

``Our league is really tough,'' said Flanderka who has led the Warriors to four CIF titles in seven tries as well as over a dozen league titles over the past three decades. ``We may be in the running but right now it looks like we don't have quite enough firepower to get there.''

Look for Westlake to contend with Thousand Oaks for the title of, ``Best of the Rest'', in the Marmonte League.

Don't expect Royal or Newbury Park to make a big impact this year. Royal, which finished sixth last year, (losing 11 of 14 league matches) remain a young team with sophomore Annie Tran topping the singles crop and freshman Katie Horton and sophomore Michelle Le heading the doubles.

``I think we'll probably have to work very hard to hold our own in the middle of the pack,'' said Royal coach Jane Forrester. ``We just don't have enough depth.''

The Panthers, meanwhile, lost four players from last year's team which finished last in league. With only one senior on the roster, its lone bright spot might be its new coach, Nancy Garrison who has been at the helm of Cal Lutheran College women's tennis for the past four years.

As for Moorpark? Well, with this being the first year the school's had a girls' tennis team, it's too soon to tell if the Musketeers can hold their own against the toughest league in the area. While most of the squad has never played competitive tennis, coach Susan Roberts is extremely pleased with the progress the team has made since practice started in late June.

``I don't think we'll do too bad,'' Roberts said.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

PHOTO Simi Valley's team includes, from left, Katie Franklin, Jennifer Sadowski, Courtney Lind, coach Robert Wickwire, Margo O'Donnell, Andrea Epinoza and Rebecca Hunau.

John Lazar/Daily News